2013 Asheville Wine & Food Festival

The Asheville Wine & Food Festival was born from a desire to celebrate and showcase our area’s chefs, wineries, farmers, and artisan food producers. And our region’s wealth of wineries have made viticulture a permanent part of the state’s economy. It’s no longer a secret: Asheville is a must-visit culinary destination. With a rich history of foodways that are deeply connected to the mountains of Western North Carolina, Asheville and the surrounding area have boasted award-winning chefs and restaurants for years.

This three-day event brings together the best regional, national, and international wines, local beer and spirits, great restaurants, exceptional food producers, and lively music, all in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

August 22, 23 & 24, 2013

The action starts on Thursday, August 22 with Elixir and ends with the final culmination of the WNC Chefs Challenge, when one local chef will earn the title Best Chef in WNC. Two culinary teams will have one hour to prepare a dishes to be judged by a panel of culinary experts. Join us for the suspense and excitement.

On Thursday, August 22 Elixir – Bartender Alchemy

Local recognized bartenders are stepping out from behind the bar and into the spotlight for the second craft spirits competition. The competitors will prepare creative cocktails with liquors from North Carolina distilleries, including Platinum Moonshine and Oak Reserve from Troy & Sons in Asheville, Cardinal Gin from Southern Artisan Spirits in Kings Mountain, and Apple Brandy from Carriage House Brandy in Lenoir, as well as national distilleries. Sample exceptional creations and enjoy the atmosphere and food of The Venue, downtown Asheville.


On Friday, August 23 SWEET offers a sampling of great desserts, sparkling wines, specialty cocktails, spirits, and dessert wines accompanied by music at the Historic Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville.

On Saturday, August 24 the Asheville Wine & Food Festival Grand Tasting commences at 12:00 for VIP (Sold Out) ticket holders, 1:00 p.m. for general admission (plenty of tickets left), at the U.S. Cellular Center (formerly the Asheville Civic Center) in downtown. The celebration is the largest gathering of regional, national, and international wines and local delicacies that Asheville has ever seen under one roof.

The smorgasbord offers more than 300 wines,plenty of local beers, samples of the best distilled spirits, creations prepared by the area’s great chefs, and samples of gourmet, artisan food products. There will be plenty of wines and tasty foods you can purchase and take home.

The 2013 nonprofit organization benefiting from the WNC Chefs Challenge is Eliada, a 109-year-old agency serving North Carolina’s children and families. Eliada’s full-service continuum includes 5-star Child Development Services (Pre School, After School, Summer Camp, More at Four); Residential and Day Treatment for children and adolescents; Vocational Education and Transitional Living; Foster Care and Therapeutic Foster Care; and Therapeutic Recreation services. Learn more about Eliada’s history and services by visiting www.eliada.org. The agency enters its second century with pride, committed to the fulfillment of its mission of Helping Children Succeed.

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